Heaven's Fire
by Mirai-Phoenix
Summary: The battle against Saffron has awakened Ranma's heritage. Now he must deal with much more then too many fiances.
1. From The Ashes...

Heaven's Fire

Authors Notes: Awhile ago I saw an idea posting for Ranma 1/2 crossover stories. One was a Ranma 1/2 story where Nodoka was really a Phoenix (like Jean Grey from X-Men) and sensed her _daughter_ awakening to her powers. I found the idea intriguing so I thought I take a stab at it. I have taken liberties with the battle at Phoenix Mountain, gomen.

Disclaimer: I own neither Ranma 1/2 or X-men. I also don't make nearly enough money to make suing me worth it. Arigato.

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Heaven's Fire

Prologue: From the Ashes….

Phoenix Mountain

"DIE YOU ANNOYING GNAT!! DIE!!" Saffron, God-king of Phoenix Mountain, screamed at the bounding red and black blur with a pigtail trailing behind him.

"What's the matter Saffron, don't like it when your prey fights back?" Ranma Saotome, heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, taunted the enraged phoenix.

Saffron replied with a low growl and a dozen more fireballs launched at the leaping mortal that had caused him so much trouble. Ranma, though he would never admit it, was hard pressed to evade the attacks. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Shampoo holding the doll-Akane. He didn't have much time left. He needed to get Akane to the spring! Ranma gritted his teeth and launched another attack.

And the battle continued.

Above the Battle

"Lord Saffron seems to be having some problem with the boy." An aged phoenix-man commented. His wings straining to keep him aloft, he gazed at the ground below with a slightly interested expression.

"Watch your tongue Tef, Lord Saffron may put up with your insolence but I won't have you even hinting that that _boy_ down there is any match for our Lord." Kima, Chamberlain to Saffron, rebuked the elderly phoenix.

"Hehehe, I have no doubt that Lord Saffron could defeat any human on the planet." Tef calmly replied. "However, I'm not too sure that boy is human."

"What?!?" Kima turned to him shocked.

"Look beyond to physical Kima my dear. I know you can, I taught all my children how."

Kima narrowed her eyes at her grandfather for a second before turning her attention back to the ground below her. This time she applied some ki to her eyes. Soon they matched Tef's golden sheen. What she saw made her gasp.

Jusenkyou

Ranma was worried. Very worried.

Saffron had taken all he could throw at him and still the phoenix king would not go down. _This is even worse the when I fought against Herb!_ He thought. The battle had reached a lull, Saffron realized that any fireball he sent, Ranma would dodge. Ranma had nothing left to throw at Saffron. The two opponents warily circled each other, waiting for the next move. 

"Ranma!!" A voice called out. "Great-Grandmother say Akane no have much time left!!" Shampoo cried out. She had nothing too personal against Akane (beside her treatment of her Airen) that she would wish the girl dead over. She hoped her Airen would win soon, but she also dreaded the other, very likely outcome. Ranma had beaten other, very powerful opponents before, but could even he beat a god?

Shampoo hoped the answer was 'yes.'

Ranma heard Shampoo's warning and became even more desperate too win. Then he had a flash of inspiration. With a yell, he charged Saffron. The others watching the battle on the ground gasped at the apparent suicide move. Two watching above saw what one thought was impossible. The other just smiled thinly as though he was expecting this. The one Ranma was charging smiled in anticipation. 

As Ranma ran, his battle aura, till now almost non-existent, sprang to life with a vengeance. The aura, normally a yellow color reflecting his confidence, was now a fierce fiery orange. As the others watched in shock, the aura began to… shift into another shape. 

"What happen to Ranma aura?" Shampoo shockingly asked her great grandmother, Cologne.

"I'm not sure child." The Matriarch of the Amazons answered, awed at what she was witnessing.

Ranma was focused.

More then ever in his life, he was focused. All other thoughts, all emotions, were cast aside like sticks. All he knew was that Saffron had to go down. He reached for power to do so and, surprisingly, he found some. He didn't even notice when he started to literally fly at the laughing phoenix king. He didn't notice the shape superimposed over his own. He didn't notice that the thoughts echoing in the back of his head were not his own. He did notice the impact with Saffron. With a slight push, the power he held slammed into his opponent.

The world went white.

Japan, Juuban District

Nodoka Saotome looked up as she felt something she had not felt in years. Without a second thought, she extended her power in search of the disturbance.

"Oh Ranma." She sighed, having found her answers. "I had hoped you wouldn't face this choice."

With another sad sigh, Nodoka began to gather things. She had a trip to make.

America, Westchester County

Scott Summers looked at his wife in concern. He was calmly talking to her after dinner when Jean suddenly froze and looked east. Her eyes briefly shifting to the gold they toke when she was fully tapping her powers. For a minute she stayed that way, unresponsive to anything. A quick call across the lake soon brought Ororo to the house with word that the others were on their way.

"China…." Jean finally said.

Both Scott and Ororo were by her side in an instant.

"What about China Jean?" Scott asked.

"Fire, desperation, a laughing face, power, Phoenix Mountain." Jean croaked out.

"It sounds as though Jean is mentally linked with someone." Ororo stated.

"Yes, but who could have enough power to pull Jean into a link?"

A good question Scott A soft voice echoed in both minds.

"Professor! Can you sense who has Jean?" Scott asked hopefully.

No I can not Professor Xaiver's mental voice replied. What ever it is that holds Jean, it's not on the Astral Plane

"That what could it be Charles?" Ororo asked.

"Jean said Phoenix Mountain. That could be where this person is." Scott guessed.

That is likely, I'll have Hank begin scanning while I look with Cerebro

"Sc-scott?"

"Jean!" Scott was immediately holding Jean's hand. "What happened?"

"Scott," Jean began in a much firmer voice, "We must go to China now."

Scott looked at his wife quietly. The two women in the room could almost see the change go over him. No longer was he Scott Summers, husband of Jean Grey-Summers. Now it was Cyclops, leader of the X-Men, considering the information told to him.

"Alright." He nodded and turned to the tall black woman beside Jean, "Storm, return to the mansion and get ready." Storm briskly nodded and in three steps was out the porch door. Another step saw her flying across the lake on wind currents under her total control.

"Professor, who can we spare at the moment?" Cyclops asked knowing his mentor was still listening.

Storm, Beast, Psylocke and Wolverine are the only ones in the mansion at the moment. Psylocke is on her way to warm up the Blackbird as we speak

Cyclops nodded as he stood up. Jean remained seated another breath then Phoenix soon up and joined her husband in preparing.

The Sea of Japan: The Next Day

It was a quiet group that made their journey east to Japan. Ryouga Hibiki leaned against the wall of the small cabin he and his most hated rival shared. Currently he was looking at said rival, wondering how she pulled off another victory.

Flashback

After Ranma's explosive impact with Saffron, everyone rushed over to the new crater. The inside was slowly filling with water from the source of water that feed Jusenkyou, Ranma, now in his cursed form was unconscious. Near the redheaded girl was a large egg. Ryouga stared at the thing until he realized, that was Saffron. With a start, Ryouga remembered the reason for the fight. 

"Akane!"

Shampoo jumped up at the Lost Boy's shout. Quickly she ran out of the crater to the Source of Jusenkyou. She thrust the doll in her hands into the pool and felt it change in her hands. Soon Shampoo was struggling to pull the suddenly full-sized Akane from the pool. A quick exam soon had her calling for her great-grandmother.

"Great-grandmother! Akane no breath!"

Cologne hopped over to Shampoo on her staff. Standing beside the restored girl, Cologne looked at her, reading Akane's ki. Soon the aged Matriarch found the problem. A swift thrust with her staff hit the appropriate shiatsu points. Akane toke a shuddering breath, coughed a few times then settled into a deep slumber. Cologne nodded to herself and then turned back to Ranma.

Ukyo had, with Ryouga's help, pulled her fiancé out of the crater and was looking for any damage. All were startled when two forms dropped from the sky. Kima landed by the egg that was Saffron and gathered it to her, looking at Ranma with an awed gaze. The elder phoenix-man set down near Ranma. 

"Stay away from him!" Ukyo screamed, standing in front of her fiancé with her battle spatula drawn. Ryouga said nothing but toke a similar stance beside her.

Tef smiled at the two would-be protectors in amusement but stopped where he was. "I seek no revenge on the one called Ranma. Our lord will live again." He looked past the two at the sleeping form of Akane. "You have accomplished what you set out for humans," He briskly walk by a startled Ukyo and Ryouga and knelt by Ranma. "I would recommend that you leave this place soon though. Others at the mountain will not be as forgiving." He lightly cupped Ranma's face with his talons and examined the red head. "Yes," he whispered to himself, "It is her."

"What are you talking about?" Ukyo asked warily. If this strange old man tried anything on her Ranchan he'd find that Ukyo Kijoni was no one to underestimate!

"Leave now." Tef stated, rising. "We will take our lord and leave as well. You had best be gone when the others arrive." Without looking back, Tef strode over to Kima. The two snapped their wings open and climbed into the sky.

"We should do as he says." Cologne said into the silence following the departure of the two phoenixes. Numbly, the others nodded.

Ryouga shook his head, bringing him back to the present. Ranma had failed to regain consciousness by the time the party made it to their ship. Ryouga grudgingly carried the small girl the whole way, trying not to think of the way she felt. This was _Ranma_ damn it! He tried to distract himself by wondering about the technique Ranma used. When did he learn that? It didn't look like any of his other moves at all, so he had to have learnt it somewhere. Right?

With a sigh Ryouga realized he was even farther form beating Ranma then ever. So why didn't he really want to anymore? Oh sure he attacked Ranma with the same intensity as when they first reunited. _Was it almost two years now? _But as time went on, he began to see Ranma as a friend. His treatment of his fiancée was terrible, which was mainly the reason Ryouga attacked him now. He just got so angry with him for taking what he had for granted what Ryouga mostly just dreamed of. Ryouga still wasn't sure why Ranma kept his secret about being P-chan, but he was grateful all the same.

"Saotome, you and I really have to talk later."

On the deck of the little ship, Genma Saotome and Soun Tendo discussed things of great importance.

"Tendo we must get Ranma and Akane married as soon as we get back to the dojo." Genma gravely told his friend.

"Yes Saotome, I agree. This recent kidnapping was too close. If we don't get those two ungrateful children of ours married soon…"

"…our retirement is doomed!" Genma completed.

"Saotome! I have an excellent idea!" Soun crowed. He urgently explained his plan into Genma's ear. Genma was soon nodding vigorously.

A little ways away from the two idiots, Akane Tendo shook her head at the antics of her father. She normally would have shouted at the two, but she was still weak from her recovery and just didn't feel like it. _Besides,_ she thought in exasperation, _it wouldn't' do any good. They haven't listened before, why should they start now?_ Deciding to ignore the two, Akane turned around and headed back to her cabin. Vaguely, she thought that she should prepare for whatever stupid idea her father had come up with. Soon Akane was in her cabin and shortly thereafter, asleep.

Japan, Nerima Ward the next day

Ranma knew his pop had something planed. He could see it in Genma's joyful smile. The old man told him it was pride in his son's accomplishments and why shouldn't he be proud? Had he not personally trained the greatest martial artist in the world? But what else could one expect from one such as himself? Ranma and the other young martial artists sweatdroped after hearing this. Ukyo voiced the collective opinion of the others save Soun and Genma himself.

"Is he for real?"

Splash!

"Growf?"

Genma-panda looked behind him at his son holding a half-empty bucket.

"Save it Oyaji. No one wants to hear it."

{Son! How could you do this to your own father?} flip {Oh, the disgrace of it. My only son picking on his} flip {father after all I've done for him!} Genma-panda was about to pull out another sign to continuing his rant as the others attempted to figure out how a sign had three sides when an unexpected voice cut him off.

"Hello? Soun are you here?"

Nodoka walked into the room followed by Kasumi. The omnipresent wrapped katana on her back. Genma-Panda reached behind him and hit the bucket his son was holding. Ranma sighed as he felt her body change. The strange buzzing at the back of her head that had started after Phoenix Mountain increased again as it had every time she was a she. Ranma shocker head a few times and reasserted the mental discipline he used in battles to keep the buzzing down. She then wiped the water form her face, glared at the panda playing with the ball behind a sign that claimed {I'm just a cute panda!} and sighed.

"You don't need to do that anymore baka-oyaji." She told her supposed father. _Please, Kami, tell me I'm not related to him_. She thought.

Nodoka watched this with mixed feelings. Disgust at the way her husband was behaving, _Oh Genma what happened to strong man I married?_ Concern for her… child over what she was going through and what would soon happen. And amusement over her 'daughters' comments, both spoken and thought.

"Really husband, I wish you try to act like a man once in a while." The activity in the room halted in shock. Did the proper and traditional Japanese housewife just say what they heard? As the occupants of the room felt their minds freeze as they attempted to fit this new development in, Nodoka looked to her child and, to everyone else, cocked an eyebrow. To Ranma however… Don't concern yourself to much with your father Ranma, you have more then proven yourself to me.

"Huh? What do you mean Mom?" Ranma was confused, when did her mother learn vantirle… ventrall… uh, speaking without moving her mouth?

"Saotome, I would have thought that even you could get your mother's meaning." Nabiki smirked at the pig-tailed 'girl'. 

"I did get it, Nabiki. I was just wondering why I don't need ta' worry about Pop anymore." Ranma shot back. The Tendos just looked Ranma until Akane lost her tedious grip on her temper.

"Ranma no baka, where did you get that from pervert?"

"Hay! I ain't no pervert, tomboy!"

"What did you call me!"

Quickly moving between the two, Nodoka spoke first to Akane then to Ranma. "Akane, stop. Ranma, come with me. I have something I must discus with you." So saying, the Soatome Matriarch dragged her transformed son out the door to the dojo. The room was silent for a minute at the sudden speed Mrs. Soatome moved at. Nabiki raised an eyebrow and quietly left the room. She needed to tun on her microphones in the dojo. This promised to be interesting. 

When she got to her room, Nabiki moved one her posters and flicked the switch marked 'dojo' on the panel revealed. Crossing to her desk she grabbed the headphones, sat back with a smirk and waited to hear the latest Ranma gossip.

The smirk faltered.

The smirk fell.

A frown replaced it.

A grumbling Nabiki went back to the panel and moved the switch once, twice, three times. A confused Nabiki stood there blinking at the unresponsive device until Ranma's shout snapped her back to reality.

"I'M A WHAT?!?"

End Prologue

Yo! Ranma here. So what'cha wanna tell me mom? Huh? Alien? So you weren't born it Japan, so what. Huh? What about me? What? No way!

Next time on **_Heaven's Fire_**. Chapter 1: Truths, Heritage and Choices. 


	2. Truths, Heritage and Chocies

Heaven's Fire

Continuity Notes: This takes place after Phoenix Mountain but before the wedding in Ranma ½ and after Legion Quest in X-Men.

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Heaven's Fire

Chapter 1: Truths, Heritage and Choices

The Sea of Japan

"I still say that is one of the craziest regions we have ever been to." Psylocke, mutant telepath of the X-Men, continued to grumble to her teammates. "In one village all women are little better then pack animals, and in the other its the men. Both villages hate the other and have been fighting for centuries. How have they survived this long again Logan?"

The X-Men were investigating the remains of Jusenkyou when the teams from both Joketsuko and the Musk arrived to find out about the strange aircraft that was spotted landing. Old grudges were quickly brought up for readressing and, in the ensuing battle, the X-Men just walked away. Cyclops was still trying to get over how they were so totally ignored. Wolverine informed them later about the... unique nature of the valleys inhabitants. 

"By the way Logan," Storm broke in while Psylocke paused for breath. "How did you find out so much about these... people?"

The Canadian mutant, who had been trying to feign sleep, opened one eye to look at his friend. "Well darlin'," He began, "After my time with Ogian I traveled to China to see if there were other senseis who could help me. I followed a rumor to that valley and meet up with those Amazon women. Nice bunch once you get past their attitude toward men."

"Hmmm... Wolverine dealing with another persons attitude." Cyclops half smirked from the pilots seat. "That must have been an interesting sight." Both Jean and Hank laughed at the mental image.

"Funny Cyke, real funny." Logan growled at his team leader. "Anywise, they had some good tricks. It was fun once the Elders made me immune to the Kiss of Marriage law."

"A truly archaic law that should have been revoked long ago." The Beast's cultured voice interjected. 

"Pipe down fur-ball, I'm tellin' this story. 'Sides," he shrugged, "The law had a purpose when the village was still struggling to survive. The Amazons are a very traditional folk, change won't be easily accepted."

Hank was about to comment when a beeping drew his attention to the panel in front of him. "Wait the proverbial fragment of temporal perception," He said, "It appears our Mini-Cerebro has detected an unusual energy signature."

"Is it mutant?" Cyclops asked.

"No, mine monocular companion, it doesn't seem so. I am attempting to cross-reference it to all known signatures." A few seconds of silence passed until another beep came from Beast's panel. "Ah, we have a match. Our friend appears to be... Oh my stars and garters." The Beast broke off his monologue and stared at the display.

"Don't keep us waiting Doc. What is it?" Wolverine snapped

When no answer was forthcoming, Logan got up and walked to the Beast and looked at the panel. What he saw made even the fierce X-Man pale. "Jeannie-girl?" He rasped out, "You might want to take a look at this."

A concerned Jean as well as Storm came and examined the display.

MATCH(ES) FOUND: DARK PHOENIX

MATCH PROBABITITY: 98.8%

NO OTHER MATCHES FOUND

X X X

Japan, Tendo Dojo, five minutes earlier

As Ranma Saotome followed her mother into the dojo, she had a cold feeling that she would _not_ like what Nodoka had to say. Her mother showed up unexpectedly to the Tendo's, insults her husband, shows some weird technique of talking, stops Akane and drags her off to the dojo. _Nope,_ she thought, _this can't be good_. 

Once she had her 'daughter' in the dojo, Nodoka sat her in the center and closed the door. Unseen by Ranma, she also found several microphones and, with a passing thought, disconnected their power cords. Satisfied that no one would bother them or listen in on this conversation, the Saotome Matriarch walked back to her child and sat opposite of her. The two Saotome women stared at each other for almost a minute before Nodoka took a deep breath and started.

"Ranma, what I am about to tell you, I have revealed to no one since my arrival to this planet."

"Planet?" Ranma squeaked. She was right, this wasn't good.

"Yes Ranma, planet. I was not born on Earth." Nodoka looked at her child and assessed how she was taking it so far. "And no, before you ask, I'm not exactly an alien."

Ranma processed her mothers words before her curiosity got the better of her. "Um... if you're not human and you're not an alien..." Ranma trailed off, unsure how to ask and hoping her mother would guess her question.

"Then what am I?" Nodoka smiled at her weak nod and closed her eyes. "I am a member of a race of beings that has never risen above three dozen. We are bound to no planet, call no star home. We wander the spaceways as we please, aiding and protecting life." 

During her triad, Nodoka started to glow. The aura, Ranma dully noted, was a fierce orange and yellow that flickered and danced like flame. Almost as if it had a mind of it's own, Nodoka's hair came undone from her tight bun. The light auburn locks floated up as thought caught it a breeze. By now, Ranma could sense the power rising off her mother. She nervously gulped, the power was already past all the regular fighters of Nerima and was almost on par with Herb. And it was still going up! Nodoka's arms also began to rise from her lap in front of her to her sides and above her. The aura was now surging around her and generating wind which whipped all around the two women. 

"We are the caretakers of life, and, when needed, it's executioners."

Nodoka opened her eyes and focused the molten gold orbs on the awed child before her as her voice started to resonate with the power.

"**I am Phoenix!**"

The aura exploded out around her. The arms spread out to form wing-like structures, Ranma could almost count each feather. Above her head, another head, like a falcon, threw its cry to the heavens. Nodoka remained like that for another breath and then, like a button was pushed, the aura vanished. Ranma knew better, she could still feel the weight of her mothers power in her mind, but she also knew no one else could sense the energy barely a thought away from action in her mothers slender frame.

"**And so, my daughte**r, are you**.**"

Through her mothers performance, Ranma was half-waiting for the other shoe to drop. Now that it had she actually felt as though a weight had been lifted. Briefly, Ranma considered faint...ah... taking a quick nap, but managed to suppress the impulse. All things considered, Ranma felt that she handled the situation well.

"I'M A WHAT?!"

thunk!

Well, she mostly managed to suppress the impulse.

X X X

Outside the Dojo, the Tendos (minus Nabiki), Genma Saotome, Ukyo and the Amazons were peering a the door to the dojo. All were, in one way or another, concerned about the fate of Ranma. At one point Cologne exchanged looks with Shampoo, both felt the sudden surge of chi. A covert glance revealed that Ukyo and Akane were fidgeting, showing that they could sense _something_ but didn't know what. Cologne was somewhat surprised to see that Genma showed signs that he knew exactly what he was feeling and where it was coming from. She still found it hard to believe that this almost excuse for a man had done all that he had with the Art. 

Ranma's shout, the first sound that had been heard since the dojo door slid shut, snapped the Elder back to the task at hand. Before the shout's echo had died, Akane and Ukyo were racing to the door. Shampoo almost went with them but for Cologne's hand at her waist. Akane reached the door first and she reached for the handle. 

"Get off me Akane." Ukyo groaned from under her.

The collected martial artists blinked as they replayed what had happened. Akane had grabbed the handle when there was a ripple in the air around her and Akane went flying back into Ukyo. _Fascinating, _Cologne thought, _there seems to be a field of some sort around the dojo that prevents access. I think we may all have severely underestimated Nodoka Saotome._

X X X

Ranma regained consciousness in the dojo, this was nothing new actually so she didn't think much about it beyond grumbling something vaguely unpleasant about tomboys and mallets.

"Really Ranma, where did you learn that word?"

Ranma's eyes snapped to the speaker and found her mother sitting beside her. No fire surrounding her, no ki-generated wind, no power resonate voice, regular eyes. Had that all been a dream?

No daughter, it was not a dream.

Ranma's left eye twitched a few times at both the method of speech and at it's content. "Uh, mom, how did you do that and why are you calling be your daughter?"

It's called telepathy. We use it as our primary means of communication. There is, after all, no medium for sound to travel in space. As for the daughter part... "That has to do with your actions at Jusendo."

"What do you mean?"

"In your fight against Saffron, you tapped your potential Phoenix power further then you should've been able to. I'm guessing it has to do with your curse."

"How so?"

"I'll get to that in a bit, but first Ranma, you have a very big decision before you. It's one that you cannot put off. Not with out having it made for you or killing you."

Ranma paled but her voice was steady. "What choice, what do you mean?"

"Ranma, the power of the Phoenix is the power of creation and destruction of life. Men can only really understand one of those parts. In order to survive wielding that power, one has to be able to understand and do both. Women are the only ones who generally are able to do this. Ranma, if you wish to claim this part of your heritage," Nodoka looked at her child squarely in the eyes, hoping to impress upon her the gravity of her choice, "You must become a woman full time, for all time."

Ranma narrowed her eyes and frowned. "So what happens if I choose not the claim it? Or if I wield it without becoming a girl?"

"In the first case, I will forcibly sever your connection the Phoenix energy. You will lose a great deal of your natural advantages."

"What are you saying? That I'm only as good as I am at tha Art 'cause a some dumb ol' blood!" Ranma was working herself into a rare heat over what she thought her mother was implying.

"No Ranma, your raw talent at the Art has nothing to do with the Phoenix energies in you. All you were supposed to ever have was heightened restorative abilities and a much greater energy base to draw on. You will still be able to do all of your moves, but they will be harder to do. Your legendary ability to adapt or invent moves on the spot will be gone with out all the extra power you used to have. Your recovery rate will also be much slower, more like a normal human with training like yours."

Ranma had calmed down by now but was still obviously unhappy with that option. "And the other?"

Nodoka arched a brow but answered. "The Phoenix energies will continue to grow until a critical levels are reached. At that point the next use of it will do one of two things in your case. If you are female at the time, you would be locked in female form forever. I doubt any shape changing magic would affect you anymore. However, if you are male at the critical point, I expect you would rather spectacularly explode and take out most of the planet with you, if not the solar system." She noticed the incredulous look on her daughter's face. "What do you expect? Phoenix energy works on the cosmic level. The weakest Phoenix could quite casually throw moons around, incinerate the surface of a planet or absorb the power of a nova without causing any disturbance in that system. Ours is a power with few equals or greater Ranma, but our responsibilities are just as great. Consider your choice very carefully Ranma, it comes at a great price, but the rewards are worth it."

"How long?" A pale and shacking Ranma asked

"No more then a month. After then, the energies reach critical. I can show you how to use your new power Ranma, will you let me?" Nodoka almost begged her.

Ranma smiled at her mother and nodded. Nodoka's answering smile could've lit the dojo for the next several years. Soon, both mother and daughter were in each others arms. However, a thought slowly worked it's way to the front of Ranma's mind.

"Mom? What do we tell the others?"

Nodoka blinked at Ranma a few times and then confessed. "I think we may have to tell them the truth. Is everyone here? I wouldn't want to explain myself too many times."

"Every one but the Kunos, Happosai, and Ryouga" She answered with a Ranma Smirk(patent pending).

"I thought Ryouga was with you a Jusendo?"

The smirk went up to Vegeta level. "Yeah he was. He got lost at the docks."

Blink. "I see. Well I better call him back to the dojo then."

"Call?" A confused look back in the general direction of the Tendo phone.

"Not that kind of call. Think of it as a telepathic homing signal. Depending on how far away he is, he should be back with in a day. As for the others, the Kunos can be called the normal way and Happosai will be back sometime before sunset."

Ranma nodded then grimaced. "This will not be pretty." She declared firmly.

"No, probably not." Her mother agreed.

End Chapter 1

Oh my, hello! I'm Kasumi. My we have so many of Ranma's friends over tonight. Oh! Who are these new people Ranma-kun?

Next on **_Heaven's Fire,_** Chapter 2: Meetings and Misunderstandings


	3. Meetings and Misunderstandings

Heaven's Fire

I own neither Ranma ½ or the X-Men. Of course I also don't own the world but I'm working on it.

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Heaven's Fire

Chapter 2: Meetings and Misunderstandings

The Tendo Household 

Nabiki was seriously mad. She _knew_ something was going on between the two Saotomes, but she hadn't been able to get a thing out of either Ranma or Auntie Nodoka. This just made her even more mad and, against her will, pleased. What ever they were hiding had to be good and now she finally had a challenge to her information finding abilities. 

Nabiki leaned back in the couch, the very picture of relaxed indifference, and casually looked to where mother and son were sitting in the backyard on either side of the koi pond. They hadn't moved from there for almost an hour, and after Mr. Saotome's attempt at 'training' Ranma, no one had tried to interrupt them. Nabiki still hadn't quite figured out how Ranma had thrown his father across the yard. She was sure she hadn't seen his arms move. _Oh well,_ she thought, _I wonder what they could be doing. Staring at each other for all this time can't just be it_.

X X X

The Astral Plane

Ranma was breathing hard as he frantically scanned all around for his opponent. The environment was hard on his eyes, no form or substance to anything. He was a lot less concerned that there was no ground then that those weird streamers that continued to drift in his way. 

Suddenly, he felt a disturbance behind him. Spinning as fast as he could, Ranma brought up the shield he had just created. The jarring impact of his mother's sword seemed to travel through his bones into his teeth. A rapid flurry of sword strikes keep him on the defensive as he analyzed Nodoka's form trying to find a hole he could use. 

You're not concentrating Ranma! His mother's telepathic voice cut across the psionic ether. You need to tighten your defenses!

With that, Nodoka pulled her blade back. Ranma saw his chance, as quick as thought, he dismissed his shield as moved forward to strike. The glowing fist arced between mother and child until it hit Nodoka's armor. The jolt that flooded his system caught Ranma by surprise. He screamed as the ether around him blurred out of sight.

X X X

Reality

Ranma gasped as he fell back into his physical body, almost falling into the pond.

Are you all right Ranma? His mother asked him, concern coloring her mental touch.

Y-yes. Ranma shakily answered, still not accustomed to telepathy. What happened?

You were trying to use ki again. Nodoka replied from her position across the pond. 

So what? Ki is life energy just like phoenix energy, it should've worked just as well.

He heard the sigh in his mind in time with the breath Nodoka took. Ranma, I told you before. Ki energy is too specialized to work reliably on the Astral plane. If you use it in battle you give your opponent a direct link to your personal life energy. It's safe to use ki on the physical plane because the flesh of both combatants work as insulation. When you remove that insulation, it's like giving you opponent a path right to your heart. Nodoka cocked her head at Ranma and smiled. Do you feel like continuing with Astral combat or do you want to try something else?

Before Ranma could respond, he heard a familiar voice asking a also familiar question.

"Excuse me, do you know the way to the Tendo Dojo?"

With a sigh of his own, Ranma turned and saw Kasumi leading a slightly bewildered Ryouga around the house.

"Are you sure this isn't Kyoto, Kasumi-san? I know I past the sign to it just a bit ago." 

"Still as lost as ever, eh P-chan?" Ranma smirked to his favorite sparring partner.

"Ranma! Don't. Call. Me. P-CHAN!!!" Ryouga was about to charge the pig-tailed martial artist when he saw Akane come out of the house.

"Ranma no baka! Stop picking on poor Ryouga!" Ranma meet Mallet-sama, Mallet-sama meet Ranma

{WHAM!!}

"un...cute... tom...boy..." Ranma groaned out, twitching.

Ryouga stopped his charge, blinked and then stood back with his arms over his chest. "Well Ranma I guess I can let you off this time seeing as Akane-san beat me to it."

Nodoka was watching the mini-drama play itself out with only an expression of mild interest. As it drew to a close she got up and approached the Lost Boy. 

"Ah Hibiki-san, so good of you to finally join us. Ranma and myself were beginning to wonder if you'd make it tonight." Nodoka calmly grasped Ryouga be the arm and led him to the Tendo dining table where everyone was gathering. "Please have a set. Dinner is almost ready I believe." No sooner had the words left her mouth then Kasumi emerged from the kitchen with the first of the plates for the evening meal. Ryouga stayed where he was, he was going to get to eat with Akane-san! What bliss!

While there were six extra at the table that night, Kasumi still managed to deliver one of her normal excellent meals. The Tendos were quite shocked at the ease Ranma showed in keeping his father away from his food. Only Ranma and Nodoka knew he was keeping a telekinetic barrier around his food, Nodoka did, however, notice Nabiki looking at both her and Ranma strangely. 

I think Nabiki might suspect a bit of the truth. She told her son.

I wouldn't be surprised, Nabiki always did catch on to things around here the fastest. Ranma replied still eating. We should probably tell them all soon. After diner I'd guess.

Agreed.

"Everyone, if I could have your attention?" Ranma announced to the room. Instantly, all eyes were on him. "I know you are all wondering why Mom came over today and what it was she had ta say to me. Well, after dinner we'll tell ya we talked about." With that, Ranma went back to eating. 

The rest of the room looked at Ranma before Nabiki broke the silence.

"Come on Saotome, you can't just leave us hanging like that. Give a hint or something."

Ranma raised his eyes to hers and just stared in to them as he continued to eat. Just as Nabiki was starting to get uncomfortable, not that she showed it, and Akane was about to punish the baka for staring at her sister, Ranma answered.

"Fine." He calmly lifted his hand and all of the dishes on the table shot up three feet and whirled and danced around each other. As the household gapped at the display Nodoka silently commented.

Good fine control there Ranma but don't over do it.

Sure Mom. As he lowered his hand the dishes set themselves back on the table exactly where they were before without a grain of rice dropped. (Although for some reason, Genma's plate landed upside down on top of him.) 

"Ranchan. What was that?" Ukyo asked.

"After diner." Was the only reply.

Cologne continued to look at Ranma after everyone went back to the meal, occasionally her eyes would drift to Nodoka and she would wonder...

X X X

North Tokyo

The X-Men had been frantic after the reading especially Phoenix and Cyclops. After almost three hours of scanning by Cerebro and by Phoenix and Psylocke turned up nothing, however, even Cyclops had to agree to put the mystery on the back burner for now. Resuming their course to Japan, they carefully didn't discuss the reading and what it could mean for both the Earth and the universe.

After Storm convinced Cyclops to return to their original mission. The information that the Jusenkyou Guide and his daughter gave them told them what had happened at Phoenix Mountain, and now they were looking into one Ranma Saotome, the boy who had defeated the Phoenix King Saffron. Using their connection to the Japanese mutant hero Sunfire, a one-time X-Man and current ally, the X-Men received permission to store the Blackbird at a Tokyo airport hanger. A brief trip to the airport lobby netted them a couple of rooms at a near by hotel. As the X-Men gathered in Scott and Jean's room they made planes for the next days searching.

"I have gained access to the Japanese records department." Hank McCoy said behind the facade of a normal if somewhat short and heavyset human thanks to his image inducer.

"Great job Hank," Scott said, coming over to stand behind him. "What do you have for us?"

"Ranma Saotome, age 17, attends Fuurikan school in the Nerima ward. He has rather low scholastic scores but his athletic marks are unparalleled in the entire greater Tokyo area."

"Great, the kids' dumb as a brick but he manages to beat some genetic experiment gone bad." Logan snorted derisively. 

"Ah-hem. As was saying," Hank paused only to level an annoyed glance at Logan, "He is listed as living at a Tendo Dojo in Nerima, owned by one Soun Tendo, with his father, Genma Saotome. Mother is one Nodoka Saotome, lives in Juuban ward alone but no divorce certificate is listed."

"All right people, lets get some rest. Hank print out the address of this Tendo Dojo. Tomorrow we'll pay Mr. Saotome a visit." Although he didn't say it, the X-Men recognized a dismissal from long experience and left for there own rooms, Ororo and Betsy in one room, Logan and Hank in the other.

As he left, Logan looked at the screen displaying the information.

"Hmmm... Genma Saotome, so that's where ya been hidin'. " He commented to himself before leaving with a satisfied smile.

X X X

Tendo Dojo

After diner, Nodoka helped Kasumi with the dishes as Ranma lead everyone else to the dojo. As the others made themselves comfortable on the mats, he walked to the center and without a word sat down to wait for his mother. Akane, Shampoo and Ukyo had somehow gotten it in their heads that Ranma would be announcing his choice and put an end to the problems that had been plaguing them all for the past two years. Ryouga was sure that Ranma would reveal yet another new technique and would use it on him to demonstrate it. Soun was set to either let loose a wail of the houses never being joined or launch a Demon Head Attack, he still was not sure which. Genma had a pail of water handy and a backpack of supplies in case he felt the need to go on a training trip. Cologne simply waited for Son-in-law to tell what he had to tell. Nabiki was wondering why she was suddenly thinking of fire and birds from the moment she entered the dojo.

Shortly, Nodoka and Kasumi entered the dojo. Kasumi took a seat by her sisters and smiled pleasantly, Nodoka walked to her son a sat by him, facing the small crowd. The two Saotomes looked at each other silently for half a minute before turning back to the others. Nabiki was sure something passed between them, that damn firebird floating in her head was really starting to annoy her though, and now there were two. 

"Well I suppose you all have waited enough for what I have ta say." Ranma began.

"Oh, yes Ranchan! I'll marry you!" Ukyo cried out and lunged toward Ranma.

"Spatula Girl no marry Airen! Shampoo marry Airen!" The Amazon growled, drawing her bonbori and swinging at the okonomiyaki chef.

"Ranma you pervert! How dare you chose one of those hussies!" Akane already had her mallet out and was bringing it down on the baka when she and the other two girls suddenly stopped moving.

"Huh?"

SILENCE! Nodoka's voice interrupted all other thoughts and actions in the room.

"Um... Dearest?" Genma was half a breath away from grabbing the pail and going panda at the sight of his dear Nodoka's golden eyes.

You will sit down and hear what Ranma has to say. By now, all had noticed that the were hearing Nodoka's voice, but she wasn't speaking. The Fiancée Brigade was forcibly placed at their seats by Nodoka's telekinesis as Cologne and Nabiki raised eyebrows at the display.

"Um... okay I have no idea where that came from," Ranma said with a hand behind his head, "But as I was startin' ta say. Mom told me somethin' earlier an' we decided we'd have ta tell everyone else 'cause it affects you all."

Soun used this sketchy beginning and arrived at a conclusion before Ranma continued. "Waaahhh!!! My son-in-law has to kill himself! Now the schools will never be joined!!"

"Uh, Tendo-san?" Ranma was getting tired of these constant interruptions, "I don't have ta kill myself." The water works halted instantly. "-sigh- Anyway, I think I'll let Mom start it off by tellin' ya what she told me."

In the following minutes, Nodoka told the Tendos and guests her story. For her origins and the origins of the Phoenix. After she was done, she still saw open doubt on most of their faces.

"You don't believe me." It was not a question.

"Well, no offense Auntie," Akane ventured when no one else said anything. "But even for us, this is a little far fetched."

"Very well. I shall give you proof then. Ranma? Do you think you can manage to flare your own aura?"

"Sure Mom. Heh, this'll be good." Ranma was really looking forward to this. He took a lose horse stance and called up an aura those present had only seen once before. Nodoka smiled at Ranma then she flared her own Phoenix aura for the second time in twenty years.

X X X

Tokyo

Hank barley stopped to pound on the women's door to awaken them before he throw open the door to Jean and Scott's room.

"It's back!" He cried, "The Dark Phoenix reading is back!"

Both X-Men came out of the bedroom in their bed clothes and Jean in a lose silk robe, Hank was all ready setting up the Mini-Cerebro unit. As the other two members of the team entered in their own night clothes and robes.

"What is happening Hank?" Ororo asked, still wiping the sleep from her eyes.

"Cerebro has another reading of that Dark Phoenix signature, as well as a second one that has been identified as a signature similar to Rachel's."

"What? But Rachel was sent almost two thousand years into the future. She would've told us if she had come back to our time when we were there." Jean was worried about what Dark Phoenix might do to her sort of daughter.

"I do not believe it is Rachel herself, the match was only 87%." Hank told the partially distraught mother. He furiously typed at the keyboard a few seconds more before being awarded with a ring from the machine. "Eureka! I have a lock on both of their locations. They are...well," Beast leaned back with a surprised expression. "It appears that both readings are coming from a Tendo Dojo in the Nerima ward."

The silence settled in the room before Betsy noticed something. "Say, where's Logan?"

Hank looked around, the sheepish expression looking strange on his bestial face. "Ah... Well I hate to be the barer of more bad news but our hirsute companion left the building about thirty minutes ago.

Scott sighed and turned to his wife. "Jean?"

"On it." Jean closed her eyes and sent out a tendril of power across Tokyo attempting to locate her missing friend. And came back empty. "No luck, either he's shielding himself or..."

"Do not worry Jean," Ororo hastened to reassure her friend, "Logan is very familiar with Tokyo. He is likely shielding himself as you said."

"Well we can't do anything about that now," Scott sighed as he went over to where both his and Jeans uniforms were. "We might as well go to the Tendo dojo now. Suit up everyone, we leave in five."

X X X

Nerima

The hunter was close to his prey. He was not sure where the trail was at first, but his prey didn't move in a wide area, so he found his scent easily enough once he entered that area. He actually found what he guessed was his prey's cub's scent first. The young one seemed to be quite active. His scent was all over the area. The hunter was confused at points though, it seemed that his prey had two cubs, a male and a female, the hunter was sure that he had only a male cub though. The hunter thought about this briefly before he dismissed it from his mind as unimportant. He was not really interested in the cubs. He only wanted the father. Speaking of which, the scent placed the prey in _that_ large den there.

A pleased growl escaped the hunters lips as he bared his claws to the night sky with a meaty shuck of tearing skin and muscle. Wolverine had tracked his prey and now that coward Saotome would pay.

X X X

Tendo Dojo

Ranma and Nodoka brought their auras down and looked at the reactions of the others. With three exceptions, everyone was just staring at the two of them in utter shock. Cologne seemed to be congratulating herself on figuring out a puzzle. Nabiki was smiling like she was expecting the whole thing from the beginning. And Genma... For a second he was just as dumbfounded as the others, then he shock himself out of it and leveled the coldest glare this side of an iceberg at the other two Saotomes before turning to Soun.

"Tendo my old friend," He began, "I am sorry but I can not keep my side of our agreement."

His words snapped the others out of it and the turned to him in confusion. 

"What do you mean Saotome? Your son is right there, he will marry my Akane and our schools will be joined."

Before either Akane or Ranma could respond with their usual denials, Genma beat them to it.

"I do not know to whom you are referring to, that... thing... is not of my flesh and blood." He bit out with a look of contempt toward Ranma. Everyone gasped at his declaration, Ranma took a step forward and raised a shacking hand to his father. "Pops?"

Faster then most eyes present could follow, Genma brought his fist out and snapped it back with a cry of "Kijin Raishuu Dan!" and sent a vacuum blade slashing at his sons' feet. "Do not call me by such a familiar name beast." He snarled at Ranma.

"Husband!" Nodoka shouted, shocked at what he said.

"The same goes for you oni-whore." By now, everyone was gapping at the Saotome patriarch. "You deceived me and seduced me for your own ends. Now that your true form is revealed, I mean to erase both my mistake and its originator!" Another vacuum blade was sent flying for Nodoka's neck before a flame-like barrier blocked it.

"Saotome! Have you gone mad?!" Soun shouted at his friend, unable to believe what was going on.

"That's it Pops! You can attack me with the Forbidden Techniques, but you ain't touchin' Mom!" Ranma was shaken from his shock at his ex-fathers earlier words by his attack on his mother. Battle aura flaring, he launched himself at the overweight martial artist in a flying body check. The impact throw Genma through the dojo wall. Genma tucked himself into a ball and rolled with the blow almost to the far wall of the Tendo compound before he halted. As he got up, prepared to destroy that thing that pretended to be his son a voice from his past stopped him cold.

"Hey bub, long time no see. Kill any 'freaks' lately?"

Genma turned his head slowly and looked behind him. There, standing partially in the shade of a large tree and partially in the moonlight, was the demon he believed dead by his own hand years ago. He gathered his ki and kicked at the figure. Wolverine jumped above it and over the elder Saotome. Now in full moonlight, Genma could see his opponent. Wolverine was in a yellow and black striped skintight suit with a mask on his face with flared wings framing each eye. He brought his fist up and assumed an aggressive stance. He beat this freak before, he could do it again.

Running at him, Genma launched into the air to rain blows from above. Wolverine crossed his arms and grunted with each impact but didn't move. Finally landing, Genma didn't give Wolverine a chance to assume the offensive. A powerful series of punches slammed into the mutants' sides and arms. When he backed off to see how much damage he did, Wolverine lowered his arms and smiled at him.

"Ya done ticklin' me yet? I ain't got all night ta deal with tha likes o' you." 

Genma's eyes widened slightly as Wolverine charged him this time, fists cocked back ready to break bones. A jump to the side later, Genma used his cloaking technique and faded for view. Wolverine looked around and, not seeing his prey, sniffed.

"Nice trick chubba. But it don't do a thing ta wipe yer stench from tha air." A spinning jump kick caught Genma on the temple from where he was about to strike Wolverine from behind. Wolverine landed on his stomach and jabbed his fist under his chin.

"Got a couple o' presents fer ya." He growled.

shuck!shuck!

Two bone claws slide on either side of his face, lightly cutting him.

"Wanna go fer three?"

"Wolverine!" A strong voice called from above.

Wolverine looked up without removing his hand, and glared at the newly arrived X-Men.

"Wadda' ya want Cyke?"

"Uh... excuse me?" Another voice said. The X-Men looked and saw a teen-aged boy looking out of a hole in the dojo wall at the strangers. "Any of you wanna explain what you're doing here?"

End Chapter 2

Ranma no baka! What have you done now? While we find out who these newcomers are, that pervert Happosai is up to something again. What? Not that stupid burner again!

Next time on **_Heaven's Fire,_** Chapter 3: Dark Tidings


	4. Dark Tidings

Heaven's Fire

Author: I bet you're expecting me to say how I don't own Ranma ½ right? Well wrong! With this (Holds up a ring with a ruby) I will fix that little oversight. (Rubs the ring, smoke comes from it and forms Ranma-chan in a genie costume)

Ranma-chan: What is your wish master.

Author: I wish _I_ was the owner of Ranma ½. Hahahahahahaha!!!

Ranma-chan: Your wish is my command. 

(POOF!!) (Rumiko Takahashi blinks at the audience in confusion.)

Rumiko-san: Ara? I'm supposed to be at a meeting in Kyoto. (Wanders off in search of an airport.)

Ranma-chan: (Scratches back of her head.) I don't think I got that quite right. (Sees audience) Oh! Uh... (Looks around but sees no one else.) Hi. (Weakly waves and smiles.)

((Ranma-chan: Genie of the Ring borrowed from Disrupter, an excellent fic IMOHO. Now on with the entertainment!))

****

Heaven's Fire

Chapter 3: Dark Tidings

The Tendo Dojo

"Any of you wanna explain what you're doing here?" Ranma asked the strange group of people in the yard. _Geez, can't the new challengers at least wait until morning?_ He thought. When his father didn't come right back after his flying ram, Ranma went to the hole in time to see Genma be attacked by a stranger in black and yellow tights. The fight, Ranma observed, was rather short. He didn't expect the old man to pull out his cloaking technique, though it didn't seam to do him any good. The spikes were a new touch though. When yet more people arrived, Ranma decided to step in and find out what was going on.

"Ah yes, well you see…" The man in blue tights and some kind of weird glasses started to answer in accented Japanese when the redhead behind him cut him off. 

"We're looking for the Phoenix." 

Ranma narrowed his eyes. The way Mom was talking, no one on the planet should know anything about the Phoenix race. That these strangers did meant trouble in his experience. Attacking his father, despite what he had just said, didn't help their position any. "Wadda ya want with Mom?" He demanded.

The X-Men blinked. Upon arriving at the Tendo Dojo, they were witnessed to Wolverine attacking one of the residents. After distracting him, another resident they recognized from the picture Beast showed them as Ranma made his own appearance. His announcement that one of the Phoenix readings was his mother, while shocking, actually explained quite a bit. 

"I must apologize for our companions' behavior, we mean no one in this establishment any harm." The Beast told the teen in Japanese. 

Ranma sparred a brief glance at Wolverine and Genma, meeting the Canadian mutants challenging glare, before looking back at the talking bear-like creature with a shrug.

"Don' worry 'bout it. Almost everyone here has beat on tha old panda at least once. But, ya still ain't said what ya want with Mom."

"It is all right Ranma." A woman joined Ranma at the hole and looked out at the X-Men. Cyclops heard a barely suppressed gasp from Phoenix behind him. He sent a question down the rapport he and his wife shared. Phoenix laid a hand on her husbands' shoulder in reassurance but did not say anything. "I can sense Phoenix energies in one. Come girl, show yourself to me." The Japanese woman said.

Phoenix stepped from around Cyclops and stood facing the older woman. The two locked gazes for a minute as the others warily watched the others. Finally, Nodoka broke the stare and smiled at the American woman. "It is nice to meet a Phoenix channeller. I didn't think any more existed. Tell me, do you know what Phoenix you channel?"

"You mean there is more then one Phoenix Force?" Storm asked, wide-eyed.

"Well of course, however there was only twenty-four the last time I checked with an Elder." Nodoka informed the stunned X-Men, "But I hope that number will increase soon." She finished looking down at Ranma with a fond smile.

"Maybe Mom, maybe. I ain't decided yet."

"I should be surprised that you freaks know each other," Genma broke in, "But I'm not."

"Watch them freak remarks Genma." Wolverine growled from his position on top of the overweight martial artist. "I get offended real easy like." He pushed his fist into Genma's jaw harder, cutting Genma's checks more.

"Oh yeah," Ranma smacked a fist into his palm. "I'd almost forgotten about you 'Pops.' You had best explain your comments and what you were thinking in using the Forbidden Techniques on mom. Ya almost killed her ya dumb panda!"

"Wolverine, let him up." Cyclops commanded. "And explain what you thought you were doing."

"Easy Cyke." Wolverine replayed without moving, "This shinning example of humanity tried to kill me some years back. Almost did if it weren't for my healing factor. Wanna know his reason? I was a mutant. He claimed to have killed at least half a dozen other mutants."

"What?" Ranma looked at his father as though he had never seen him before.

"Yeah kid, yer pops' a card carrying human supremacist."

Nodoka sighed sadly and approached her husband. "I did sense something like that when we first meet. But I had hoped I was mistaken, that it was just a phase he was going through. When he took you on that training mission I couldn't sense any prejudice to anything in him." She kneeled down and looked Genma in the eyes, all she saw was hatred and contempt. "I am sorry Ranma, it looks as though you have lost your father, no matter your choice." 

Ranma winced and lowered his head. In a rare moment of cooperation, the three fiancées walked up behind his and placed a hand on either shoulder and his back, offering silent support. Wolverine saw the sadness in the teens' eyes and, growling low in his throat, turned back to his prey.

"Yer a real cold-hearted bastard ain't ya Saotome? I ought'a kill you now and do the world a favor."

"Please, don't." Wolverine looked up at Ranma as the girls gapped at him in surprise.

"Are you crazy Ranma? That pathetic excuse for your father has caused nothing but trouble since the day he arrived here!" 

"Yeah Ranchan! After all he's put you through for 'the sake of the Art,' I'd think that you'd be wanting to finish him off yourself!"

"Ayah! Airen much better off without stupid panda-man! Let Shampoo have panda skin rug yes?"

"Guys please." Ranma looked behind him with a pained expression before turning back to Wolverine. "Please, uh… Wolverine wasn't it? Don't kill him. He ain't the best pop a guy could ask for, an' he's made more then a few mistakes," Ranma felt the tears starting to flow down his cheeks but didn't try to stop them for once. "But still, he's my father. No matter what he's done or said, I still love him."

"Humph, ya gotta' bigger heart 'en me kid," Wolverine grumbled but got off Genma, "An' cause I can tell ya don't lightly ask like that, I'll let 'im go this once." He glared down at the other man struggling to his feet. "But if I ever come across ya again, I ain't gonna stop." With that, Logan turned his back on the defeated Genma and walked to the Dojo, shortly followed by the remaining X-Men.

Genma fumed a few minutes before starting to charge Logan's unprotected back. He got no more then two steps before he jerked to a stop and was pulled a foot into the air. Frantically looking, he saw his 'wife' calmly looking at him with eyes colored golden. "Damn alien freak!" He riled, "Let me go!"

"Now, now Genma." Nodoka waggled a finger at the trapped man. "That really isn't a very nice way to talk to your wife of twenty years." She walked up to Genma and stared him in the eyes until he quieted down. "I suggest you go on one of your 'training trips' Dearest, and don't come back any time soon." Nodoka telekinetically grabbed Genma's backpack and tossed both into the sky before joining the others in the Dojo.

The dojo yard was quiet and still for some time, the only sounds the normal nightlife and echoes form in side the dojo. Shortly even those stopped as everyone went their separate ways for the night after making introductions and promising to meet in the morning. Half an hour later, a figure separated from the shadows on the Dojo roof and hopped down to the verandah. The small figure pulled a long pipe out and slowly began to smoke it while he thought.

"Hmmm… So, Ranma might be a Phoenix eh? This could be my best chance yet." Happosai chuckled as he made his plans.

XXX

The Next Day

The morning seemed a little emptier to Ranma. He supposed that he had gotten used to his pops morning attacks and fighting over their breakfast more then he had thought. As Ranma and the younger Tendo sisters prepared for school, Nodoka stopped her son.

"Son, I would like you to not go to school today. There is something I wish to show you that might take a while."

"Umm… Sure mom. Hay Akane! Mom wants ta show me something so go on without me, 'kay?"

Akane just waved a hand back as she ran to catch up with Nabiki. Ranma smiled slightly and turned back to his mom. Nodoka was still in one of her kimonos but had her hair down and in a lose pony-tail, the Saotome honor sword was nowhere in sight, he absently noticed.

"So what's up mom?"

"I want to show you something. You could call it a history lesson for the Phoenix."

"Awww Mom, ya makin' me stay home from school jus' so you could teach me yourself?" Ranma didn't like the sound of this, it would probably be a lot harder to go to sleep around his mom then any teacher at school.

"Yes Ranma. However this will be a special lesson. Do you remember the trick I showed you about maintaining your body on just Phoenix energies?"

"Yea I got it." Ranma waved a dismissive hand. Nodoka frowned and sent a small sharp spike of power to her son's abdomen. His breath exploding out of him, Ranma went to one knee. "Geez Mom, whatcha' do that for?"

"Do _not_ take this lightly Ranma." The steel in her voice rivaled her katana, "One small mistake and. You. Will. Die. Now set your pride aside and answer me. Do you remember the trick?"

Ranma swallowed and looked to the ground. "I believe so. I haven't had a chance to try it out, but, yes I remember how you said to do it."

Nodoka relaxed and nodded. "Good. Power up and follow me." Nodoka flared her aura and rose five feet into the air. **"And start maintaining your body now. We will have some leeway if it turns out you don't have it yet."**

Ranma nodded and brought his own aura out. The yellow of his confidence soon being overpowered by the deep orange of his Phoenix energies. Inside his mind, Ranma opened what his mother had called 'pathways' and sent the power coursing through his body down new channels. After he sensed it stabilizing, he 'grabbed' the air around him and lifted into the air.

Kasumi, carrying a basket of laundry to hang, saw the two Phoenixes and paused it admire the sight of the ethereal flames. "Oh my, how pretty. Are you going somewhere Ranma-kun?"

Ranma turned a molten gold gaze on the eldest Tendo daughter and smiled. Kasumi caught her breath at the sense of primal power he was radiating. **"Yes Kasumi. Mom wants ta show me somthin', I ain't sure when we'll be back. Mom?"**

"Do not worry child, we shall return before the girls get back from school."

Kasumi nodded and, with a bright smile, proceeded to the clothesline. Ranma stared at her with a fond but bemused smile. **I will never understand how she jus' handles everything that has happened here so easily** Nodoka looked to her son with a concerned frown.

**Do you care for her Ranma? **Ranma glanced back to his mother before turning back to Kasumi.

****

Yeah, before you came back into my life, she was tha' closest I had to a mom. Still is sorta'

Come Ranma, let us see if you can keep up with me. 

No sweat. Where we goin' anyway?

Nodoka couldn't keep the mischievous smirk off her face, she was going to love seeing has expression. **The moon.** She replied casually. Ranma almost lost his 'grip' on the air in his surprise.

****

NANI? An echo of Nodoka's laugh in his mind was his only reply this time as Nodoka poured on the speed and pulled away from her son. **Hey! No way your gonna beet me, Mom** Ranma growled as he put more power to his 'flight'. Soon both mother and son were passing through the outer edge of the atmosphere and into space. As they got higher up, Ranma stared to slow.

****

Hey Mom! How can I fly if there's nothing to grab on to?

There are still things to grab. You just have to move on to a smaller scale. Nodoka sent back, **There is almost always some type of ambient particle your power can grab onto, however we generally use the solar winds outside of a planetary atmosphere. I'll show you how to do that later, once you are more accustomed to doing more then a few simple things at once. Besides, we are only going a short distance that actually requires flight.** Ranma blinked a the cryptic ending of his mom's little lecture but put it out of his mind since he was sure he'd find out soon enough.

In short order, the two Saotomes were moving across the lunar landscape. Ranma was acting like a tourist and craning his neck to see everything. He had a little laugh at the sight of the American landing site, thinking about what Akane had said about how much trouble they had in getting here and here he was, taking a trip to the moon in about an hour.

****

Up ahead Ranma. Something in Nodoka's voice cued Ranma that something big was up. Looking where she indicated, Ranma thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. It looked like there was a city approaching. **Mom? What is that?**

That, my son, is what Earth scientists call the Blue Zone. It is a region on the moon that has breathable air and, obviously, the ruins of another civilization.

This was what you wanted to show me? Some ruins?

No, not the ruins, something inside of the ruins. About 12 years ago, an alien race called the Shi'ar, held a trial by combat here. By now the two were inside the air bubble and passing buildings that had been wrecked by fighting, Ranma easily recognized the signs from Nerima, but the scale was just so much bigger! **The Shi'ar Majsitrax Lilandra was holding one of the X-Men we met last night on trial for actions committed by her. The X-Man was the girl Jean Gray, but that wasn't who she really was.** Nodoka slowed and descended to a small crater in a mostly intact alley. Ranma landed by his mother and glanced around. He spotted a raised cannon like device that looked like it was pointed right at the crater. **The girl that 'died' here was my sister Phoenix.** Ranma blinked and stared at her in amazement.

****

You mean we can be killed like regular people? He winced as soon as the words left his mouth, realizing how callous he had sounded.

Fortunately, Nodoka took his words without insult, knowing what he meant. **Yes we can be killed Ranma, but she didn't die. The shell she created was destroyed. Phoenix herself continued to live. She allowed her image to be killed in order to stop herself from succumbing again.**

Succumbing to what?

Sensation. Phoenix do not, as a rule, have physical forms. The auras we put out are the closest too our real bodies we can see. We are living patterns of energy, and as such, we are unfamiliar with physical sensations. The sense of touch, in my opinion, is the greatest gift all physical beings have. It was almost more then a year before I could function close to normal. I focused on every new feeling when I felt it. I stopped using my power after I realized it was amplifying it all. My sister didn't. She let sensation overcome her, and, in her hunger for new feelings, went insane. I am showing you her 'grave' first, now I am going to show you the results of losing your control while you wield this power. 

Nodoka shot into the sky and, about four miles up, opened a stargate. Ranma took off after his mother and followed through the portal. On the other side was a star system, a dead star system if what his fledgling senses were saying was true. Nodoka was already halfway to a planet so Ranma hurried after her.

He soon could see what looked like cities on the surface, but something was nagged at the back of his mind as wrong about them.

****

They're burned. Nodoka's voice was soft, saddened.

****

Burned? How? It looks like the entire planet was on fire.

It was. When Phoenix lost control of herself, she became Dark Phoenix. Her first action was the total defeat of her former companions, the X-Men. Following that, she came here. Dark Phoenix never operated at full power from the time she made her shell until this point. In order to get back to full, she absorbed this systems star.

The… whole star? Ranma turned back into the sky, looking for a sun, all he found were distant stars. 

****

In the resulting supernova, this planet and it's inhabitants were burned alive. At least those on the day side were. The wave destroyed the planet's atmosphere and, when it passed, the world was exposed the cold void. Everyone who survived the nova, froze.

Oh kami…

This is your lesson today Ranma. Your own power, your own body, are your worst enemies or your greatest allies. The only thing that decides this, is your control. As long as you feel, you can fall. Everyday is a fight to keep your sense of self from being overwhelmed by the environment around you. When you have our power, the consequences of failure are _never_ limited to just you. Throughout their entire time in the system, Nodoka never looked at her son. Now she turned to him, the pain in her eyes almost more then he could bare. He swallowed and forced his eyes to look around once more. The twisted remnants of homes stood mute witness to the events that had transpired here. An entire race of beings, casually wiped out by the hunger of one being. A being that likely never even noticed what her actions caused. Or didn't care. Billions gone in an instant as billions more suffered a much slower death. For years, Ranma was told of what might happen if he ever lost control, but when faced with hard evidence of what would happen, Ranma started to shake in fear of himself. 

****

I've seen enough. I want to go.

Nodoka nodded and lifted off again, Ranma left after a final look. Once again, Nodoka opened a portal and the two Phoenixes entered. With a golden flash, the gate closed, leaving the dead system in peace once more.

XXX

The Tendo House, later that evening

Akane was sure something happened, when she and Nabiki got home they found Ranma apparently meditating by the koi pond. There was also a tension between the two Saotomes that she couldn't place. Nabiki seamed to know something. She took one look at Ranma and went white as a sheet and ran to her room. She still hadn't come out, and when Akane had passed by, it sounded like she was crying. 

Sure that the pervert had done something to her sister, forgetting or ignoring that this was the first time Ranma had seen her all day, Akane charged down to punish him. She got mid-swing with her mallet before her arms stopped. Ranma looked into her eyes and Akane suddenly felt ashamed of herself. All she could suddenly see was what her tamper had done. Many instances where she had hit Ranma in anger without thinking or caring of what it could do to him. One memory surfaced from where she kept it buried. 

About a month after Kuno's speech, Akane had gotten used to the gang at the front gate in the morning. As she grew more familiar, she also grew careless, and one time, a blow slipped through her defenses and hit her on the temple. Akane was dazed for only a second, but a red haze had settled over her vision. She spotted the one who hit her and broke several of his bones. The boy was in a coma for three months, and spent another year in rehabilitation. At the time, and for the next two months, Akane didn't care that she had done this to the boy, it was his own fault for being there. It was during this time that almost all of her friends stopped hanging around her. Last she had heard, the boy was almost ready to start school again. In another district since his parents would not chance another injury near 'that violent psychopath Tendo'.

Her mallet dropped from nerveless fingers as Akane staggered back, breathing heavily. Ranma just looked into her eyes, his own blue suddenly seamed deeper and… pitying, and Akane knew she would one day kill someone and, unless she changed, Ranma would not be apart of her life for much longer no matter what. With her feet barely holding her, Akane fled from the room.

By the table, that night's guests watched silently until Akane left. "I get the feeling that something profound just happened in that girls life." Hank offered to his companions. 

"Indeed. Perhaps she shall find a balance within her soul now." Ororo said.

"Huh?" Ryouga was very confused. "What happened? Ranma what did you do to her?"

"He showed her the results of her current path, and I would thank you to not accuse my son without all the information." Nodoka's cool voice came from the kitchen where she and Kasumi were preparing dinner.

Ranma stood up and started walking to the stairs. "Mom? I'm not really hungry, so you can give my portion to Ryouga. I'm going to my room." He turned to the visiting X-Men and, after a seconds thought, bowed to them, "I am sorry I am not being a gracious host but I hope you understand."

"Of course child," Ororo hastened to assures him, "We know how you must feel. It is not an easy thing to decide the path of your life. I pray the Bright Lady guides you to happiness."

The other X-Men nodded and added their own wishes, Ranma smiled, bowed once more and went up the stairs. Above all, a small figure watched Ranma's progress with a satisfied smirk. Soon Happosai was bounding up after the pig-tailed martial artist. Inside his room, Ranma laid down on his back. He stared at the ceiling but didn't see it. All he could think about was the ruined planet. _It was always like a game,_ he thought, _but our game could've killed anyone of us with the smallest mistake._ He sighed and rolled over, _I can't afford to keep this going anymore, all accounts must be settled, no matter how this Phoenix thing ends. I will not let anyone be hurt by my actions. Heh, looks like I'm following Nabiki's advice after all. Time to grow up._ With that, Ranma drifted off to sleep, his last thought of Ryouga's face when he set down after his 'lesson', there was something in his eyes when he saw Ranma land that Ranma found... comforting.

"Finally, he's asleep." Happosai hoped down by the slumbering boy. "I thought he was going to roll around all night." The shrunken master mumbled to himself as he pulled out a small object and some powders. He set the burner next to Ranma and carefully measured out the right amount of powders into it. Before lighting the burner, Happosai pulled out a small flask of water and poured it on the sleeping Phoenix. As his curse activated, she almost woke up. Scrambling, the diminutive panty thief hit some shiatsu points and sent the girl back into slumber. Unseen by him though, a small packet of blue powder fell over into the still open burner. Sitting back with a sigh, Happosai placed the lid on the burner and lit it. As the pale smoke rose, he fanned it over the young girls face.

"Hehehehe... Soon I'll always have my Ranma-chan."

XXX

Elsewhere

The entity had lost track of the concept of time so it couldn't even guess how long it had been in this black, empty void. It had seen others like it, some drifted off like itself, others quickly faded from perception. It once thought it had an idea of the name of this place, but too many memories had been lost, it had contented itself with just calling it 'here'. Most of it's past was gone, but the image of three people burned within it, keeping it warm in the coldness of nothing. It would have it's revenge on these three, somehow.

A flicker of light, almost forgotten, caught it's attention. What was this thing? It wondered. As it drifted closer to it, bits and pieces of it's life started to reform in the shattered mind it... no _she_... now possessed. She now knew what the light was, a way out. She could get her revenge with this. The entity forced herself to calm down, she must not be hasty, she no longer had a physical shell to use. She would have to act very fast once on the other side or else she would be sent back here. 

Hopefully there would be... wait... there. If she still had a face, she would have smiled evilly, there was a body waiting for her on the other side. Her vengeance would soon be complete. She would take the body offered her and then her enemies would know the wrath of the one they killed.

They would know the wrath of Malice!

End Chapter 3

What has that shrunken pervert done to my child? Ranma! Come back! Wait, if this is Ranma, then who was that?

Next time on **_Heaven's Fire,_** Chapter 4: Malicious Intent


	5. Malicious Intent

Heaven's Fire Chapter Update

Insert usual disclaimer here. (All thought I'd think you all ready knew I didn't own either of them, so why should I bother?)grumbles to self and walks back into shadows

****

Heaven's Fire

Chapter Four: Malicious Intent

Ranma hung suspended in the air, the flames that engulfed most of the once proud city casting his frowning face in a demonic red light. His eyes slowly tracked along the cityscape below him, his senses probing each building for survivors. After the first firestorm attack on the city he had been unsuccessful in finding any. His head suddenly snapped to look over his left shoulder as his senses found life. In short order he saw a small train of cars attempting to leave the city, each vehicle was packed with possessions and families. With an evil smirk, Ranma rotated in the sky, his right arm swinging in a wide arc as power gathered. With but a thought, the fireball created by his telekinesis shot through the air toward the fleeing humans. Ranma chuckled as the projectile impacted in the middle of the caravan and exploded out with the power of a small nuclear device, swallowing all vehicles as well as the entire block they were passing through in a dome of white fire.

Ranma smiled at the destruction but soon the incident left his mind as the screams of the families did. The new sensation that brushed against his mind soon saw him linked to a trapped child that was choking to death in the smoke. Ranma left his mind connected to the boy, feeling his last moments and laughing as he cried out for his parents just before his final breath left him. Even with all the fun things happening in the ruined city, Ranma still knew he had only touched the tip of the iceberg. However, he was starting to run low on power, and what better way to recharge then by following in his illustrious ancestress' path. Licking his lips, the Dark Phoenix turned his maddened gaze to the sky where, just barely showing past the smoke, the sun still blazed.

With a laugh, he rose further into the air, missing the figure on a nearby skyscraper, her arm shielding her eyes from embers. As Ranma watched her other self depart, she turned horror stricken eyes on the burning city.

"No," She whispered, "I can't have done this." The girl stumbled to the edge of the roof and continued to gaze at the devastation she had caused. "NO!" She cried, "THIS CAN'T BE REAL!"

"My, my, my," Another voice commented amusedly. "You certainly know how to throw a party."

Ranma whirled around to face the intruder. Standing some twelve feet away was another woman, she seamed to be only a few years older then Ranma but her hair was snow white. Her simple business suit was well cut and unrumpled. She was looking across the city with a half-smile and a strange glint in her eyes.

"Who are you?" Ranma demanded eyes narrowed. There was something she didn't trust about this chick.

"I've gone by many names in my life child," The woman replied absently, "But I suppose now I'll be using the name Ranma." She concluded with a sideways glance at the startled girl and an even wider smile.

"Wh-what?"

"Oh, don't worry Ranma-_chan_, I'll let you see what's going on sometimes." With that the woman lunged at Ranma.

"Kuso!" Ranma swore, calling up her power and jumping back off the side of the building. As she floated, she watched the woman get up and casually brush the dirt off her suit. "I commend you on your reflexes Ranma. I hope they exist in your real body as well as your astral one."

"Astral?" Ranma said to herself. Things soon clicked into place in the red-head's mind. She was dreaming, and somehow this entity found her way inside her mind and it looked as though she intended to possess Ranma and use her body. Her eyes narrowed as she summoned more power, no one was taking control of her life from her again.

The woman cocked her head to the side and gave the young Phoenix a lopsided smile, "Well now, the little firebrand want's to fight. How quaint." Then she was gone. Ranma's eyes widened as she frantically searched the sky for her.

Her presence suddenly registered behind Ranma, as she was turning, Ranma felt several mind bolts slam into her. Grunting, Ranma allowed the force to send her away from the woman as she lashed out with a stream of power. A stream of power that was blocked with one hand.

"Really child, can't you do better then that? I've faced more opposition from comatose idiots." 

Ranma swallowed against the brief flare of unease at the situation. She still hadn't been fully trained by her mother in Astral combat and she was already fighting for her life. Ranma gritted her teeth, it didn't matter, Ranma Saotome didn't lose! With a yell, she shot at the intruder. Remembering her mother's lessons, she formed armor and a pair of wrist blades similar to the ones Wolverine had shown. Her attacker stayed in the air, awaiting the charge. Just before Ranma hit, she grasped her wrists and flipped over the charging redhead. Planting her heels on her back, the woman shoved Ranma's flight angle off and sent her tumbling into the side of a building. 

"I am again impressed child. Your armor and weapons are quite strong. It is fortunate for me that you leave more openings then Swiss cheese."

Ranma heard her from inside the building, and felt her anger flare. She did not spend ten years of her life training in the Art just to be beaten so casually now! She just recently took down a god for Kami's sake! No way she was gunna stand for being mocked like this! _That's it_, Ranma thought, _I'm pullin' all the stops for this chick._ She released the bonds around her power. Soon her Phoenix aura was visible as the cosmic energies coursed through her veins. The woman was about to head into the building to complete the possession process when a cry not unlike a bird rang across the dream. Strobes of light shot out of the ruined building in increasing frequency until the top three floors vanished in a burst of power. Her eyes widened at the last thing she expected. Ranma lowered her arms, not noticing that her clothes had changed. In place of her usual red silk shirt and pants, she had a full body suit like Shampoo wore except in pure black with a gold sash around her waist held in place by a bird shaped clasp. A red, lose jacket partially covered the gold Phoenix emblem across her chest.

"**You shall not defeat me.**"

A telepathic probe stabbed out at her, the power behind it caught her by surprise and slipped by her guard before she could shield. But not before Ranma managed to glean some things from her mind.

"**So your name's Malice, eh? Get ready to be sent back to hell, 'cause I ain't moving.**"

Malice growled and decided to take the offensive. She'd teach this upstart little girl the difference between raw power and skill and experience! Forming a rapier in one hand and calling her own armor, Malice fired a volley of psi-bolts at Ranma. The red head waved an arm and sent a wave of Phoenix-fire in the path of the bolts, they shattered against the barrier without making a dent in it. However, the flame obscured Malice from her sight, which was exactly what she wanted. As the barrier formed, Malice was already charging, her sword glowing with her power. When she reached the wall, Malice cut through it with her sword as she formed a parrying dagger in her other hand. Ranma was unprepared for Malice's sudden move, she wildly struck out with her claws as she backed up. Malice met each strike with her dagger stroke for stroke as her smile widened. At last gaining enough room, Ranma lunched for the roof and spiraled into the sky. As she climbed she gathered power into her hands and, when she sensed it was enough, fired it at Malice.

"**Moko Takabisha!**" The ki ball flew from her hands just as she remembered her mothers warning from the day before. Malice crossed both blades in front of her and, as the blast neared her, cut into it. The blades did nothing to stop the blast but before Malice could worry about it, it struck.

The energy flowed around Malice a moment before dissipating. The spirit remained standing there, unharmed, with a distant look in her eyes. She slowly shook her head before smiling up at Ranma. "That was very interesting girl, I must say, you've had a very active life." A dark aura began to form around her. "Let's see if I got this right, shall we?" Malice's form rippled and shifted as her aura expanded and started taking on flame-like qualities. Ranma watched with a sick sense of dread as the aura exploded out in a Phoenix aura, a black and purple Phoenix aura. At its center, Malice stood, head bowed as he examined his new hands with cold, blue eyes.

"**Amazing. I've never felt such power before.**" Malice whispered softly before he began to laugh loudly. "**Yes! With this power, I can finally have vengeance on the ones who killed me!**" His eyes locked onto Ranma as his smile deepened, "**But first, I need to take care of you.**" A hand slowly raised, a single finger pointed at the floating girl, as a bright red ball of energy, no bigger then a pen-head, formed. "**Bang.**" He whispered. The miniature star erupted toward her as Ranma brought up another shield. Upon contact, both constructs wiped out the other in a huge flash of light. Malice was pushed off the roof and into another building as Ranma was sent tumbling end over end by the shockwave.

When she managed to regain control of her flight, Ranma saw the damage. The already ruined city now had a perfect half-sphere crater in the middle. it's sides mirror smooth. Her senses on full alert, Ranma slowly descended to the ground. Once down, Ranma cautiously advanced forward to the lip of the crater. Up close, the bowl seemed to fill the horizon, a few clouds of dust still floated about before they would eventually settle.

"**Fascinating, isn't it?**" Ranma grabbed at the arm that locked around her neck. Malice smiled down at his captive before continuing. "**All most like matter and anti-matter. When they meet, they annihilate each other. Much like I will with you.**" His grip tightened and, as her breath was cut off, Ranma's own aura faded away. Malice made a pleased sound in his throat and then punched her in the side rapidly before tossing her to the ground. Ranma coughed as she tried to regain her feet. Malice tilted his head, took a step forward and kicked her in the ribs once, twice, three times.

"**Sorry child,**" Malice chuckled, "**You lose.**" His hand stretched toward the downed girl and started to glow a deep purple as tendrils began to wrap around her.

Ranma felt herself begin to panic as she sensed Malice's thoughts start to suppress her own. "No! Damn you, stay out of my mind!"

"**Quit struggling _girl_, there is no way you can beat me now.**" Malice was satisfied when Ranma stopped moving.

"No." Something in her voice sounded odd to him, looking close Malice saw a sickly green glow surrounding Ranma. "You want to take my life?" The girl asked, raising her head to meet Malice's eyes as the aura became brighter, "Then here it is!" With that, Ranma thrust her hands forward, and the ball of heavy ki reached out to the surprised invader.

"PERFECT SHI SHI HOKUDAN!!"

Malice suddenly found his mind deluged by images from Ranma's life, images of pain, images of loneliness, images of rejection and images of sadness. The tendrils around Ranma vanished as Malice staggered back, hands to his head as he tried to stop the images. Ranma collapsed in a boneless heap, unable to move after her final attack, and could only watch. Desperately, Malice struck out with his stolen power, trying to halt the images. Some dim part of his mind brought up a memory of something he had once heard Sinister say about the Phoenix power. Clutching at the idea like a life-preserver in a storm tossed ocean, Malice brought up his power and began to burn at the thin connections between himself and Ranma while weaving the power in a complex pattern.

Dark purple and orange flared around the two as they both faded from the dreamscape.

XXX

Happosai cackled to himself as he continued to fan the smoke over Ranma, this was his greatest idea yet! He didn't know why he try something like this sooner. Thanks to this mixture of powders, the Phoenix part of Ranma would be exorcised and his lovely Ranma-chan would be locked forever. She would be all his! The shrunken master of Anything Goes let loss another victorious crow. So wrapped in his fantasies was Happosai that he didn't see Ranma begin to glow at first and thus missed the dark mist-like form that drifted over the sleeping girl. He did notice when Ranma began to writhe and moan. Seeing the glow, he barely stopped himself from dancing around the room in joy, but he did allow a wide grin to be plastered on his face. A grin that got impossibly wider when the glow became tinged orange and brighten, despite the occasional arc of purple light that rippled along the edges. Indeed, Happosai never noticed the colors, he just told himself that this was normal and his plan was progressing as he intended. The flash of green that overpowered the aura and lit the room however, did shake him out of his delusions. Crouched by Ranma, Happosai covered his eyes as the flash turned into a steady pulse that got brighter. With a deafening explosion that through the ancient pervert against the wall, the green light finally died and, from the smoke, he saw a figure approach.

"SWEETO!" He cried as he launched himself at her. The hand that locked like an iron vice around his throat came as a very unwelcome surprise, especially when he saw who it was attached to. Staring back at him with the coldest gaze this side of zero Kelvin, was Ranma's frowning, male, face.

"What did you think you were doing insect?" He sneered at his captive. Happosai frantically reached behind and pulled his pipe out, only to find it yanked from his hand by an invisible force. In that room, starring into the eyes of one who could and would kill him if he felt like it, Happosai once again knew fear. When Ranma smiled at him, Happosai knew terror.

"Well old man," He began in an almost cheerful tone, "Let's see what you can tell me." His eyes, blackened totally as Happosai felt another mind in his own that brushed by all his defenses without hesitation, felt his life and all his secrets made bare to his captor. Then he felt the power rip through his mind. 

Malice heard the old freak in his hand give a strangled croak as his eyes rolled in back of his head and a bit of droll fell from his slackened mouth. His lips curling in distaste, Malice pushed with his new power and sent the old man into the wall with the speed of a freight train.

"Pathetic." 

He heard the sounds of many feet approaching and briefly considered killing all in the house before dismissing the unnecessary, though pleasant, thought. With a grunt, he turned to the window and casually blasted it into shards as black and purple ethereal fire sprang around his form. Just as the door was flung open, he launched himself from the room and into the darkening sky.

Nodoka had just settled down for a cup or tea with Kasumi and the visiting X-Men when she felt Ranma's power build. Curious as to why he would raise his power, she sent a slim probe to his mind. When she encountered a dream response, Nodoka smiled and withdrew, she would have to teach her son about locking down his power when asleep. As she turned back to Kasumi, she saw Ryouga, who had been talking with Nabiki about something, stiffen and swing to face the stairs. Just before she could ask what was wrong, an explosion rocked the house and threw everyone in the room to the floor.

Shaking her head, Nodoka instinctively reached out to find everyone's mind. She gasped when she found a new thought pattern in the house. A thought pattern the was just a powerful as Ranma and in the same room. Rising to her feet, the elder Phoenix started to the stairs, ignoring the confused questions behind her. Once in the Tendo's up stairs hall, she saw smoke seeping from under Ranma's door and felt a strangely familiar power being used inside, like Phoenix energy but not. Just as she reached the door, a figure shot through the wall and into her. Nodoka shoved Happosai off of her, a part of her mind not surprised that he was involved, and yanked the door aside in time to see her son leave.

"Ranma!" She cried, and was just about to take off after him when a light cough drew her attention to the small red head at her feet.

Eyes wide, she looked between the Ranma on the floor and the Ranma disappearing in the sky. As the others filtered into the room, she found her attention being drawn away from the impossible sight. Akane started the questions with her usual subtly.

"What has that pervert done this time?"

"I'm not sure what Happosai has done. That _is_ who you were talking about, right?" Nodoka flashed a quick glare at the youngest Tendo before kneeling by the red head.

Akane flushed and sputtered a bit before she got control of herself enough to respond. "No, I meant Ranma. That was who just blasted a part of my house and left wasn't it?" Akane glared out the hole, her blue aura blazing as she worked her anger up. "Probably out seeing one of his other girlfriends, the perverted playboy."

"I doubt it Akane dear." Nodoka said as she stood up with Ranma-chan in her arms. Akane did a double take at the unexpected sight.

"Huh? How...?" She mumbled out intelligently.

"I don' know. Perhaps we might find out when she awakens." Nodoka brushed past Akane and the other curious inhabitants as she headed downstairs and placed Ranma on the couch. Turning, she found the rest of the household had gathered. "Watch over her, I'm going to get some water." Nodoka left the room with several pairs of confused eyes following her.

After she left, Akane turned back to the unconscious Ranma and, reaching out to her shoulder, tried to shake her awake. "Hey Ranma." She told her, "Wake up pervert." When she got no response, Akane began to get angry again. The baka was doing this on purpose! "Ranma..." She reeled back, arm cocked behind her head, "Wake... UP!!" She let her punch fly right at Ranma's face when her target's eyes snapped open.

The others in the room only caught sight of a flare of orange and a sound like a falcon's cry before they found themselves ducking from a flying Akane. A rapid look showed the girl siting dazedly in the koi pond and already rising to her feet, a blue aura lighting the yard and her face settled in a mask of rage. The fire-like light in the room with them brought their attention back to Ranma. The young Phoenix in question was standing in a ready stance, her Phoenix aura blazing and her head frantically searching around her.

"Easy child," Ororo began, her hands raised non-threateningly, "You are among friends, no one wishes to hurt you." She ignored Logan's snort.

"Speak for yourself!" Akane stormed into the room, heading right for Ranma, "Ranma how dare you throw me!"

"Geez, first she's mad that he won't fight her, now she's mad that he did. Make up your mind imouto-chan." Nabiki mumbled under her breath.

"I won't let you kill me!" Ranma screamed at the charging Akane and brought her arms above her head, a basketball-sized globe of Phoenix fire materialized between her palms. An often ignored part of Akane's mind called Common Sense suddenly shouted out that she was attacking a person who could wipe her from existence, and by the look of things was about to. Akane's eyes widened and she skidded to a halt as Ranma let lose the fireball. Akane screamed and raised her arms in front of her face in a futile attempt at shielding herself. Just before the orb hit, another field of yellow-orange fire imposed itself, blocking the blast and dissipating it.

"Ranma!" Nodoka's voice cracked like a whip. "Get a hold of yourself!"

The sound of her mother's voice succeeded in removing the lingering clouds of confusion in Ranma's mind and, with a few blinks, her eyes refocused on reality. "Huh? Where's Malice?"

"Malice? How do you know Malice?" Scott spoke up.

"She was trying to take over my body." Ranma replied, and in a softer voice, "And she was succeeding."

"That's impossible! Malice is dead. Mr. Sinister killed her!" Scott insisted.

"Say what you will, I know who was in my head. Now again, where is she?" Silence meet her demand until…

"I think I might know." All eyes swung back to Nodoka. Ranma registered the kettle in her hands just before the hot water hit her in the face.

"Whatcha' do... that... for?" Ranma lamely completed staring at her still female body.

"I thought so." Nodoka lowered head a moment before meeting her daughter's, "When I entered your room, I saw a figure I _know_ was your male form leaving through a hole in the wall. Earlier, I sensed a new thought pattern in your room. I think this Malice person may have managed to acquire your male body."

There were many gapping faces when she finished, Ranma found her voice first.

"She split the curse? But how did she get my male body?"

Nabiki was the one who answered. "You said you were fighting her, right Saotome?" She didn't wait for a reply. "What form were you using in the fight?"

Ranma stared at the middle Tendo before finally replying, "I was in female form from the dream right before she showed up. I never got around to changing while we were fighting. I'm stuck like this." She finished forlornly.

"I'm sorry Ranma," Nodoka wrapped her arms around her child, offering the comfort she knew she needed. "I didn't want your choice to be made like this."

"It's not permanent yet." Ranma locked gazes with a surprised looking Nabiki. "If you find, uh, him, you can rejoin bodies. You would have to battle Malice again, but..." She finished with a shrug.

"How do you know that child?" Ororo asked.

Nabiki blinked at the regal black woman a moment before reluctantly admitting, "I have no idea. I was just thinking about Ranma's situation and," She gestured helplessly, "There it was. Like I always knew it, I just had to remember it."

Hank made an intrigued sound as he rubbed his chin, gazing at Nabiki thoughtfully. "I wonder Miss. Tendo, if I might convince you to take a few small tests. I have a theory I that might explain this."

A familiar gleam entered Nabiki's eyes as she gazed at the bestial doctor. Hank felt a chill spread down his back and suddenly wondered if he was biting off more then he could chew. "Why of course _doctor_. What types of _tests_ did you have in mind?" She asked seductively.

The women present raised a collective eyebrow at Nabiki's actions while the men and Ranma blinked in confusion. Soun, however, used his unique logic paths to decrypt Nabiki's answer. The result soon had him using his other well-known trait. The Tendo School of Anything Goes Final Attack: Demon Head! "You will not lay a single hand on my little girl!" He screeched at Hank. The Beast cried out in surprise and jumped to the ceiling, using his claws to stay up.

"Well Ranma," Nabiki commented calmly, "It looks like you aren't the only one who can do that."

"Huh?" Ranma blinked at the mercenary Tendo, she knew there was something going on beyond what was being said, but for the life of her, she couldn't figure it out. She was glad that the Demon Head was not being used on her for a change.

Nabiki spared a look for the clueless neo-girl before shaking her head. "Forget it Saotome, I'll tell you when your older."

"Okay." It was a few seconds before Nabiki's words fully sank in and Ranma realized that she had been insulted, "Hey! What do you mean by that?"

"I assure you Tendo-san, I have no romantic interest in your daughter?" Hank frantically tried to calm the raging Tendo patriarch.

"Are you implying that she's not good enough for you?!" Hank just sighed as he heard more arguments start up around the room. It was going to be a long night.

End of Chapter 4

Well as soon as tha fur-ball can run them tests, we can get after that disembodied psychopath. Well Cyke, whatcha' waitin' fer? Let's go! Huh? Yeah the kids comin' with us. It's her body.

Next time on **_Heaven's Fire,_** Hunters in the Night


End file.
